Territory



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. T. K. CLARK.. MAGHINBBOR .GHANNELING HARNESS STRAPS.No. 283,570. 1883.

l (No Model.)

(Nn Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet. 2.

- T. K. CLARK. MACHINE POP. GHANNELING HARNESS STRAPS.

No. 283.570. Patented Aug. 21, 1883.

(No Model.) Y Sheets- Sheet 3.`

T. K. CLARK.

MACHINE P0P. GHANNBLING HARNESS STRAPS. No. 283,570. Patented Aug. 21,1883.

Jl i

in a 4frame that `is ycapable of adjustment,

v Figurel represents a plan view of 'a machine citizen of the UnitedStates, residing atTie `edge of the strap may be regulated, the strapUNITED STATES PATET FFICE,

THOMAS K. CLARK, OF TIE ASIDING, vVYOMIFG TERRITORY.

MACHINE FOR'QHANNE LING. HARNESS-STRAPS..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,570, dated August21, 1883.

Application filed April 6, 1893. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom z5 may concer-n.-

Be it known that I, THoMAs K. CLARK, a

Siding, in the county of Albany and Territory of TWyoming, haveinventednew and useful lmprovements in the art of Channeling Leather, being amachine for channeling harness-straps of which the following is aspecication.

rlhis invention is directed to the production of an organized machinefor channeling or cutting the grooves in the surface and edges ofleather straps used in harness-making; and the said invention consistsof a .set of vert-ically :acting and a set of obliquelyacting knives,which make the suriace and edge cuts in the straps to receive theuniting sewingthreads, said knives arranged on a suitable frame oppositeto each other and in such position as to out the channel along both thetop and side edges ofthe strap at the same operation, the knives beingmade adjustable, so as to gage the depth or angle of cut, and arrangedwhereby the distance of the channel from the being held in positionbeneath the knives upon a springbed and between guides which are calpablo of adjustment, in order to receive straps of different Widths.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

for channeling leather straps, constructed according to myinvention;Fig. 2, a central longitudinal sectional ele 'ationg Fig. 3a transversesectional elevation on the line x a, Fig. l; Fig. 4, a transversesectional ,elevation on the line y y, Fig. l. Fig. 5 shows the strapwith vertical and oblique channels cut therein 5 Fig. 6, a transversesectional elevation on the line a: ai, Fig. l, showing the verticalchannelingknife as turned back; and Fig. 7, a transverse sectionalelevation on the line y y, Fig. l, showing the oblique channeling-knifeas turned back; Fig. S, a top view of the knife, showing the slottherein; and Fig. 9 is an end view of the housing and adjustablecarrying devices of the vertical knife.

A is the frame of the machine, having a centrai longitudinal opening, A,into which abcd, A, is placed and supported upon springs a. Upon the topof the frame A, at one side thereof, are rigidly secured boxes orhousings B C for the cutter-stocks, and arranged opposite to these aresimilarhousings, B C', merely resting upon `the frame A, but removablysecured in position by spring-catches D and E, secured to the frame andarranged to engage upon a suitable catch on the housings B C. Thesemovable housings are connected to the iixed housings by a set of curvedyokes, F and G, secured rigidly to each side ofthe movable housings, andunited to the fixed housings B `and C by hinges or pivot-bolts, as at Hand I. These/housings B B form the holder for the cutters for making thevertical channel in the straps, and the ones C C form the holders forthe cutters for cutting the oblique channel.

1Within the housings B and B is arranged a box or guide, J, carrying thestock of the vertically-acting cutting-knives, and adapted to beadjusted in or out bythe screws K, shoul- `dered in t-he ,housings B andB', and passing through nuts formed in the box or guide J, as at k.Nithin the top of these guides J isv arranged a cutter-stock, L, movingwith the boxguide J, but having a movement or adjustment independent ofsaid guide through a screw,

M, shouldered in the end of said guide J, and passing through a nutformed in the stock L, as at l. The movement of this part L and itsarrangement in regard to the part J is the same as the arrangement andmovement of the part J with housing B. These stocks L v carry the,vertically-acting knives ll" which are adjustably secured bya set-screw,m, passing through a slot, mf, therein to a standard, N,.working in abearing, O, in the face of the stocks L, and through a bracket-support,l?, secured tothetop of said stocks. rPhe standards N ,have` apresser-foot, n, and a spiral spring', Q, for keeping the knives down inplace, arranged around the standardbetween the end of the'bracketsnpport P and a collar or stop on the standard, as at q. At thetop of the standards is arranged a canrfaced lever, R, for raising andholding the knife from action, or above the work.

Within thehousings C C are arranged stocks S, which carry the knives formaking the 0blique cuts in the edge of the straps. These stocks S areadapted to be adjusted so as to approach to or recede from the work inasimilar manner to the ones J of the vertically-act- S 1s agloove, u.

in the housings C C and passing through a nut in the interior of thecutter-stocks. These stocks S, as also the parts J and L of the ver-Fig. 2, along their bottom edges, which fit into grooves formed alongthe lower edges of y the housings B B G C and the guides J, and alongthe lower front edge of the cutter-stocks Through these cutter-stocks Sis formed an opening, S', which tapers from front to rear, forming onlya narrow slit at the front sufficient to permit the passage of the pointof the knife U. Vithin this opening S is arranged the cutting-knife,which is composed of a long bevel-ended blade, U, having a slot, V,through its body. Behind this blade is arranged a gage or plate, W, in ascrewthreaded hole, at the-'end of which is received a thumb-screw, X,which passes up through a slot, '10, in the stock S, and forms the meansby which the knife is held in place. At the front of the stock S is aset-screw, Y, which is arranged to engage -against the top of the knifenear the point, and thereby hold it at any angle that it may be set bythe screw X. The knife being slotted, as at V, the degree of protrusionof the knife may be regulated, and

consequently the depth of cut gaged.

Suitable scales are formed on the sliding parts, in connection withpointers on the stationary housings, ,as at 1 and 2, whereby the uniformadjustment of the parts may be determined.

Z is a guide-plate against which the strapy is set, and F F are rollerssecured to the yokes F and G in such position to bear upon the strap`being channeled and hold it down inI connection with the presser-feetand springbottom.

The operation of forming the vertical channel along the top surface ofthe strap will first be described.

The knives M are-first set at the proper depth and secured by theset-screwsm. They are then raised above the work bythe camlever R, andheld in this position until ready for action. The spring-catch D is thenre-v leased from the movable housing B, and the said housing lifted upand swung over upon the opposite side. The strap to be channeled is nowplaced in position against the side plate, Z', and the housing B broughtback into position and secured by the spring-catch D. By operating thethumb-screws K the guide-boxes J are made to advance until their frontedges come flush against the edges of the strap, by which means thestrap is held and guided in proper position beneath the knives. i Now,by operating the thumb-screws M the cutter-stocks L are advanced overthe strap and the knives brought drawing the strap by hand beneath theknives in the direction of the arrow, the channels for the insertion ofthe sewing-thread are formed regularly and quickly along the top surfaceof the strap, as shown at j' f, Fig. 5. The spring-bottom A clamps andholds the strapup tight against the knivcs and the rollers F, whereby nolateral movement ofthe strap is permitted. p

The Aoperation of the oblique channeling mechanism is about the same asthat of the vertical cutting apparatus, the stocks carrying the properly-adj usted knives being brought up to the work bythe screws, whichcause the knives to enter the top edge of the strap in an oblique orslanting direction, the stocks being moved forward until the strap isflush against and within the groove along the lower` margin of thestocks, which hold the strap secure'in place. By drawing the strapbeneath the knives in the direction of the arrow the Aoblique channelsalong the top edge of the strap are formed, as shown at g g, Fig. 5..

If desired, the operation of cutting both the vertical and obliquechannels may be performed simultaneously by passing the strapcontinuously from one .set ofy cuttersto the other.

The machine organized, as described, does Athe Work heretofore done byhand, and the channeli-ng-cutters arearranged in said machine to operateupon the strap as it is drawn through the same guid eway, Whether form-aking the surface or oblique channels, and the construction of thecutter-carrying mechanism and the means for placing the same in and outof use allow them to be brought into use separately or together to suitthe style of channeling required.

I claiml. In a machine for channeling leather straps, the combination,with'the yielding IOO IIO

bed A, the roller F, the housings B B, and Y the stocks L L, adapted foradjustment within said housings, of the vertically-adjustable standardsN N, secured to the ends of said stocks, each provided with apresser-foot, n, a'knife M', a vertically-acting spring, Q, and alifting device, all constructed and arranged asy and for the purposedescribed.

2. In a machine for channeling leather straps, the combination, with theVhousings placed opposite each other, of guide-frames adapted to beadjusted within said housings for different widths of straps, adjustablestocks arranged within said guide-frames, and vertically-acting knivescarried by said stocks, as and for the purposes described.

3. In a machine for channeling leather straps, in combination with thestationary housings B and G, carrying each an adjustable cutting-tool,the housings B and C', of

` plate Z, rollers F', and adjustable cuttingknives, the springlactuatedbottom A a, operating to' press and hold the strap in position to beacted upon by they knives, as hereinbefore described.

6. The combination, with the housings C C', of the cutter-stocks S S,adapted for ad- :zo justiuent in said housings, the obliquelyarrangedcutters U U, and means for adjusting f vass-,57o i l* said cutter andtheir stocks, as and for the purpose set forth.

7 The cutterstocks S, having interior openings, S', obliquely-arrangedslotted knife U V,' plate NV, fastening-screw X, and set- Sorenr Y, allarranged and operating as hereinbefore described, for the purposesspecified.

8. The combination, with the cutter-stocks S, having a groove or recess,u', forming an overhanging projection along its front lower edge, of thecutting-tools adapted to be vertically adjusted beneath said overhangingprojection, and the screws X and Y, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses. l

THOMAS K. CLARK. Witnesses:

' XV. J. BRoAnHURs'r," JOHN J. LrNDsnY.

